Me and Uncle Arthur: A Story of Arthritis

Telling the story of the author’s struggle with severe arthritis, the title ‘Me and Uncle Arthur: a Story of Arthritis gives little idea of the author’s approach. Preconception suggests to the reader that Uncle Arthur is an arthritis sufferer, and that the author has had to cope with him. Not at all: it is the author who is the sufferer. In writing about his ailment, he has personified it as the malevolent Uncle Arthur . Having expected glutinous sentiment, what the reader gets is anger, frustration and sharp satirical humour and, most importantly, courage in adversity. 'Me and Uncle Arthur: a Story of Arthritis’ enables the author to convey the ambivalent relationship any sufferer from a chronic disease has with his or her condition. In conclusion, this is a highly engaging, entertaining and often very funny account of life with a difficult, debilitating illness.